LAVIGNE'S MANAGER SIDES WITH SHARERS, NOT SUERS

It's worth remembering when he roll our eyes at how insanely self-destructive the RIAA policy of using lawsuits to, erm, persuade people to download legally or whatever it was they were doing, that not all record labels and music industry groups think its such a good idea. Indeed, it's mainly the big ones that think its splendid. An opposing view comes from Nettwerk Music Group, who have taken up the case of David Greubel. Greubel is being sued by the RIAA after it claims to have found him offering songs for sharing, one of which was Avril Lavigne's Sk8r Boi. Now, Netwerk's involvement is interesting because Lavigne is one of its clients. The RIAA always bangs on about how it's acting in the artist's interests, so what does the company actually paid to represent them feel about her song being used as part of the case?

"Suing music fans is not the solution, it's the problem," stated Terry McBride, C.E.O of Nettwerk Music Group. "Litigation is not 'artist development.' Litigation is a deterrent to creativity and passion and it is hurting the business I love," insisted McBride. "The current actions of the RIAA are not in my artists' best interests." Nettwerk Music Group has agreed to pay the total expense of all legal fees as well as any fines should the family lose the case against the RIAA.

So, not only do some artists and their representatives not agree with the RIAA action, but they're prepared to fund defence cases fighting the organisation while it claims to be protecting them. That can't exactly be right, can it?

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